Crimson Dark
by AlexxShadenk777
Summary: Ever wondered what it'd be like if Shadow hadn't disappeared at the end of Sonic Adventure 2? This fic is to show how Sonic's absence affects the other characters. Is he missing or dead?
1. Prologue

PROLOGUE

They say life is made of your own choices, and that whatever happens happened because of the choices you make. Others say life is written, scripted by the will of a higher power. But I used to believe in just luck... everything else sounded... I dunno. I never bought it. But somehow now I'm starting to bet everything on Destiny's threads, and there might not be any escape from them...

I believe that the threads of Sonic and Shadow entangled so much that they turned a different way out of their course. It doesn't feel right... it feels... like a lie. The others think it was a tragedy and it was unfair! But me.. oh, I still think it's too good to be true. Usually stuff like that... really is too good to be true. Maybe it's all just a dream... and I'm still waiting to wake up. I'm Rouge the Bat... and I'm writing in this journal everything that happened since that day.


	2. Chapter 0 The One of Two

Chapter 0 - "The One of Two"

At first we were just watching the battle out there, in space. We were all worried sick inside the space colony ARK. The Biolizard -- a massive biological weapon of mass destruction -- was directing the colony towards the Earth in an attempt to collide and destroy the planet, but Sonic and Shadow, took the Chaos Emeralds' powers and fought it. But -- as we saw the fatal blow struck on the Biolizard, the space colony ARK continued its trajectory ever faster towards Earth. I was terrified. We all were.

I remember hearing Knuckles beside me, praying to his ancestors, Amy crying, gripping at me, Tails repeating to himself the same thing over and over -- stuttered words in panic that I couldn't make out -- and Dr. Robotnik...? Well. He was just trying to stay calm, waiting for the end, I guess. But eventually, I noticed Sonic and Shadow placing themselves together up front.

No one else was watching it happen, but we all felt the big flash that came from the hedgehogs. They had joined their Chaos power, and warped the ARK out of its course, with the use of Chaos Control. They succeeded -- but as we recovered from the shook of a Chaos Control warp, I looked out and -- saw Shadow -- alone among the stars of outer space. He was still glowing in Super form, hovering in place. I kinda figured out that maybe he was mourning -- after what he said to us when he returned.

"I see from the look on your faces that you want to know where the hell Sonic is."

And I felt Amy's grip tightening so hard it almost hurt me, but nothing could've prepared them for what was coming. I had no feelings for it but I could understand it anyway.

"He's gone."

That moment, all I could do was comfort Amy as she cried harder than before. Knuckles said nothing. Tails was paranoid -- skeptical at the fact. I can't quite say what went on in Ivo's mind. I think he was trying to figure out what this meant for him. Then came Shadow's explanation of what happened.

"The full power of our Chaos Control blasted him out of my reach. I could tell he was unconscious as well, otherwise he could've just pulled himself back before he entered Earth's orbit and -- Well... I don't think I need to go on with this."

There was only silence then, besides Amy's heartly sobs. I couldn't just tell her "It's okay", there was nothing that would've made it sound any reassuring. After a moment of silence -- which felt like an eternity, as none of us knew what to do then -- Ivo spoke.

"Well then. This... certainly feels awkward. My admirable adversary falls to a... an infortunate mishap. Let this be a reminder of him... let's all remember Sonic the Hedgehog -- as the hedgehog that died pathetically out cold, and crashed like a lifeless meteorite!! Ha ha ha ha ha!!"

Even I couldn't believe how harsh he had been. Just minutes ago, we all worked together and tried our best efforts to save ourselves and the world, but even so, his heart softened nothing as soon as he heard that Sonic disappeared. In fact I think it grew three times bigger -- with maniacal joy. He walked right out of the room with the biggest sadistic smile plastered on his face that I had ever seen.

"How... how could you be so horrible, Eggman?!", Amy said, desperately trying to speak between crying and sobbing. "How -- just.. just..!! Just how?! Why are you so cruel now!? He saved us all! And we all loved him! I loved him so much! Now.. he's.. gone! GONE!! It's all your fault!!"

"Sshhh... it's pointless to yell at him...", I said, trying to calm her down.

"I...-- I.. know..."

Amy held on tight to me. He body shrivelled erractically, as if she were cold, but it was just shock and anger colliding with her heart. I felt sorry for her.

"Th-Thank you... you... I don't even know your name...?"

"It's okay. I'm Rouge. You're Amy, right?"

"Yeah... I'm sorry.. thank you for... for everything you did for us. And... you too, Shadow..."

Shadow replied nothing, tilting his head not to look at any of us, as if he scorned our very existance. Amy looked at Tails and Knuckles with her eyes still drenched in tears wanting to come out.

"You're so right... It's all Eggman's fault! This isn't fair...", said Tails. "I... I still can't believe it! I can't believe Sonic is gone forever!"

"What do you mean it like that, "forever"? Didn't you pay any attention to Shadow? Sonic was just unconscious! And he was still in Super form, right?"

From his corner, Shadow sighed, and without looking at us, he answered Knuckles' question.

"Yes, he was. But I'm not so sure he sustained it until he crashed."

"Then there's a chance he might still be down there, somewhere, alive! Tails, you can use computers or something to try and find out where he crashed, right?"

"...You're right Knuckles. Let's get back on solid ground and try it out! Come on!"

I saw Tails' expression changing to one that of new found hope as he agreed with the echidna. He had been so paranoid a while ago he couldn't had even thought straight on his own. He rushed out of the room, with Amy running right behind him, as Knuckles started walking out of the room, paused, and faced Shadow. For a moment I thought he was about to punch him but then he said --

"Thanks. You did a lot for us, and everyone else down there. I'll be glad to see you again someday."

He put out his hand open in front of Shadow, wanting to shake hands -- Shadow just turned around and walked towards one of the windshields and looked down at the planet. I think Knuckles understood his attitude, and then looked at me. I stared back, and shook my head sideways. I knew he wanted me to go with them but, I couldn't leave Shadow alone -- I mean, I could, but I _couldn't_. I think Knuckles realized that before he left us and I slowly walked towards Shadow, afraid of his reaction, afraid of his words.

He looked sad.

"Shadow? You alright...?"

"Why should you care?"

"Because I know you're still thinking about it... still thinking that you aren't who you think you were. That hedgehog meant something to you in all this, didn't he?"

"He meant barely anything. He was careless and got himself killed because of it, being just a regular hedgehog afterall. Huh. And even if there had been anything I could've done, I _still_ wouldn't had saved him. I only care for myself."

I swear I wanted to slap him for those words. Instead I just frowned and took ahold of his elbow.

"That's a lie! You didn't save us all for nothing!"

He looked at my hand on his elbow, and then started back at me in the eyes.

"It was just a promise from long ago. Now that I have fulfilled it, I can live my own life." Saying that, he pulled his arm out of my grip. "I'm done thinking about the past."

Even if simple in his words, and maybe harsh in saying them, it was enough for me. I crossed my arms and we stood there for a while, and I couldn't help but stare down at Earth as well. It was beautiful. And he saved this view. My heart fluttered at that thought, and for that instant, I felt a bit like an embarrassed little kid without being able to find words.

"So... "

Still slightly afraid from him, I put my hand on his shoulder, this time in a gentle way. He looked at it in an instant, but I could tell he still trusted me, for some reason or another. I stared into his eyes for a few seconds, even if he didn't stare back, trying to build up guts to spill them out.

"What... What do you want to do now...? Where do you want to go?"

He shut his eyes, then looked down on the planet, and then stared at me... with the hint of a smile.

"I don't know. It seems the only one who cares about me now is you."

End Chapter 0


	3. Chapter 1 Reason

Chapter I - "Reason"

Eventually we all decided to take a ship home, together. We had no idea if Robotnik was still aboard the ARK, but right now we didn't want to confront him. I was extremely tired, and everyone else looked just as exhausted, despite the earlier enthusiasm from Tails, it was pretty obvious they all just wanted to go home and get some rest before anything. And Shadow said, that even if they do find Sonic -- I'm not interested in joining the search -- the chances he's still alive are slim, and nobody could really argue with him; he's the only one who actually saw what happened when the Chaos Control practically blinded us. I think Tails and Amy secretly blame him almost as much as Eggman, but I believe him. I joined him and Dr. Robotnik not too many hours ago, and I've yet to have any doubts about Shadow's... honesty. From what I read about him in the ARK's log files and documents, he's supposedly ageless, and immortal, giving him some sort of divinity. Anyone that powerful doesn't even need to lie. Besides -- earlier he said he wouldn't have saved Sonic if it had been possible. If that isn't honesty, I don't know what is.

I remember I wanted to sleep, but having Shadow around made it feel impossible to even shut my eyes for more than two seconds. I just couldn't let my eyes off. I didn't understand at all back then.

Either way, the trip was relatively short. I must've dozed off for a moment out of exhaustion because, when I realized we had landed, I looked around and nobody was in the ship. I thought that had been the last I would see of him, but there he was -- standing just outside; it also seemed we landed in a forest by the outskirts of Station Square. I stared at him, wondering if he had meant anything just before.

"You could just stop wondering so much about what I want and simply ask already," he said in a relatively serious manner. It was somewhat frustrating.

"You..."

I swallowed and breathed out calmly to sink the frustration away. I felt a little shocked since he almost read my mind, but I just thought to myself he's just a smartass under that attitude of his. As I spoke however, I soon remembered why I had gotten into this mess in the first place.

"You really want to come with me? I'm still a jewels thief, you know! This event isn't going to change me like it did to them, not even one bit!"

"Oh... I'm not even against this petty craving of yours --"

"Petty?! It's very important to me!"

"Is it really? What is it about the jewels that makes you so excited...? Their special glow? Their worth?"

I gulped at that ironic questioning of his.

"You don't know. You've never even questioned it once. One day you just saw one and took it. And then more, and more, so many being taken without question. Becoming so good at it that you eventually could slip in and out of any place unnoticed, mastering the art of stealth, becoming a government spy when you were finally... arrested by the Secret Services when you tried to run away."

"What-- How do you even know all this -- where did you -- how... ! -- Just what the hell are you trying to get out of me?"

"That you know there's nothing about the jewels that make you happy, nor the line of work you've gotten yourself into. You hate it -- you're good, but you hate it. You wish you were somewhere else, doing what you really wish to do... but you can't."

"...Shadow..."

"You hate it all. You just want to run away from everything. And you know that if you do, they'll hunt you down."

I was startled, confused, and most of all -- exhausted as hell. There was so much I wanted to yell at him, so many things I wanted to say, but knew it in me they meant nothing, and that he knew what I felt -- still couldn't understand how he could possibly know so much about me. I thought he had only recognized my face earlier but it's as if he could read my mind. So, I gave in.

"Yes... you're right, you know the entire truth about me, everything... I guess I deserved that when I looked into your--"

"Rouge."

He neared me and held my shoulders in his calm hands, staring at me with those red eyes of his. No matter how sweet his voice sounded to me, those eyes scared the hell out of me. They're frightening, because I don't know how far deep they are.

"I'm going to take you away."

Not taking a "no" for an answer -- and not giving me the time to even assimilate what he'd just told me -- he kissed me. I was so tired, I don't even remember what I felt, but I've never forgotten how he did it. So sudden, so unexpected, almost _reasonless_. My last thought was -- right before I blacked out and finally fell asleep; that kiss was like a tranquilizer -- "I still don't understand...", as if a silent reply to the last words I heard from him.

"I'm taking you to a new home."

After what only felt like a moment, I woke up. I didn't know what to expect so I just slowly had one eye open -- only to see an unfamilliar setting. We weren't in the outskirts of Station Square anymore, obviously. Sitting upright I realized I was in a bed in my underwear covered by white sheets. At first it didn't bother me until --

"Good morning."

As soon as I heard him, I panicked and quickly covered myself, almost pulling the sheets out, just as I looked at where the voice came. He was to my right leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed.

"Hey!! What did you think you were doing taking my clothes of?? And just where are the hell are we?!"

"Easy, Rouge. First things first, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't have liked to sleep in wet clothes.. and secondly, this used to be my home."

"Wet..?"

"As you can see it's raining outside."

He said it as he looked past me across the room, where a wide window was being covered by rain. And I could see the sunrise in the horizon. I still couldn't recognize this place.

"I slept through the night...?"

"Yes. I sensed you were waking up so --"

"-- You came to me before I panicked. How attentive... "

"Thank you. Come on, I made you breakfast."

Shadow made breakfast for me. I couldn't believe it.

"But I'm in my underwear! I can't just get off of bed and walk around like this!"

"Oh _please_. I do just fine in my rocket-skates and gloves. What's with the excuses?"

I glared at him. That wasn't going to convince me to streak around in his house!

"But fine."

He shrugged before pushing a button on a keypad on the wall just beside the door frame, and sliding doors from the floor opened up, and an open wardrobe elevated itself.

"I'll be waiting just at the end of this hall."

Saying that, he left, and the bedroom door slid shut behind him -- this room seemed to be automated, and I thought the rest of the house would be similar. I sighed and just got up right out of that bed. Approaching this wardrobe I just couldn't find anything I liked so, I decided to just put on a robe. It was a bit large on me, and it looked too feminine to be Shadow's. Thinking about it now, all the clothes in that wardrobe were women's clothes. No -- a _woman'_s wardrobe, I'm sure of it.

Putting it on I stared at the bedroom door and inhaled as deep as I could and let out a long sigh before I stepped out; the door slid open and closed automatically behind me as expected. I walked down the hall in bare feet, noticing numerous other doors and that I had just left the last one of the right hand side. At the end was a kitchen, mostly white and cozy. There was nothing in particular that I could notice besides the breakfast, I assumed, that Shadow made for me, on the table right in front of me. What the hell was he trying?

"Is this your pathetic attempt at seducing me, Shadow?" I said, seeing him in the corner of my eye.

"No. This is my pathetic attempt at feeding you. Eat it if you want."

I turned my head around and faced him to my right; he was standing idly by, calm as always. I started to feel a little angry at his display of arrogance.

"What a crock -- "I'm going to take you away" you said before kissing me, take me to your 'home', wash my clothes off _conveniently drenched _by the rain, and then feed me breakfast in the morning? What is this that you're trying to do?"

"What you wanted."

I swear I was finally angry at him.

"I know what you want."

"And just what is it that you _think_ you know what I want?!"

"Freedom."

"I _am_ free!" I said, indignant. He paused and started at me with a look that said he didn't believe me. I'm a terrible liar.

"Are you? Are you really untamed, doing exactly what you want, what you feel like doing?"

I stuttered.

"Do you really fly in freedom?"

"Stop...!"

"You've been caged since long ago."

"Stop!!"

"After you were arrested, the President made a deal with you --"

I panicked and burst out shouting loudly, "Shut up!! I don't want to hear that!!"

"Work for the government and you live!""

Covering my ears, shouting at him, that memory still pained me much. I thought I had grown out of it.

"Shut up!!..."

"But if you resist, we'll lock you in a cell, letting you to rot... or until you accept." And what you said was --"

"No!! I don't want to stay in here any longer!! Let me out!! LET ME OUT!!"

All of a sudden I was my old self, picturing me in that accursed cell for months on end, wanting to die. They wouldn't let me. Letting me starve to near-death and then feeding me in teasing tortures, leaving me naked in a cold, damp cell for months without showers or a toilet -- those bunch of liars. No one would expect the President to be so cruel, and the Secret Services are just as rotten.

I shivered again, hugging my waist. Suddenly my wrists ached inside, feeling the blood circulation harder and my chest felt heavy. My eyes stung with that blatant emotion nobody ever wants to feel.

"Let me out...!"

I collapsed and broke down in tears, kneeling on the floor. And then I felt his arms around me, bringing me back from that horrible memory, but I couldn't stop crying now. Those memories were too harsh.

"You're free now. I took you away from them. They won't arrest you again.. and if they find you here, I'll be here. They've done the same to me in the past. Until they finally put me in that frozen prison they called 'cryogenic sleep'. I had nightmares for fifty years. "

For a moment I stopped sobbing, sniffled, sighed -- and pulled myself up with my hands on his shoulders. I just wanted to stare at those red eyes again; they didn't look so frightening anymore. I was still shaking nervously, however. My voice sounded hoarse.

"N-Night-mares..?"

"Nightmares of Dr. Gerald constantly cursing at the ones who arrested him and then sentenced him to death... he kept on screaming at me, to avenge him, myself, and Maria. He used to be benevolent while he lived; but eventually his work turned from helpful to destructive -- he began creating weapons of mass destruction. And those nightmares changed me so much in my sleep that when I woke up all I knew was hatred; When Ivo awakened me, I instantly recognized his features. I instantly knew he was a Robotnik. And I knew what to do. Even still filled with that hatred with which I slept with for years, I kept on having flashbacks of her. I recognized her in my memory... but I was so brainwashed by Gerald himself that her memories were infected with the same hatred that I thought that she, too, wanted revenge."

"And then -- I met you. When you presented the Eclipse Cannon..."

"Yes. And I used you in my plans for destruction."

I wondered if my ears had failed me. I looked up at him with a confused expression building up on my face.

"You... you used me? But I was the one who --"

"Your plan were to get the Chaos Emeralds for your own. I knew that from the start. Your art of deceit fooled that bastard Ivo, but would never fool me. You didn't notice it, but he looked at me as if asking if it was a good idea for you to join. All I did was nod."

And I hated him. So much. But I wasn't right. It was my obsession for jewelry that got me into that mess in the first place. I hated myself instead then and looked down at my legs, trying to avoid looking at him. Looking back now, I felt like an angry teenager with a childish kind of hate when you're preached at at that age.

"Rouge... don't do that to yourself."

"You should have let me to die in that locked safe..."

"On that hour I saved you not just because of the emeralds you held. It was also another reason. It was a reminder... of Maria."

I had heard that name so many times up to that point. I tried to cloak myself away by asking him who she was.

"Who's Maria?"

"You should eat first. I'll tell you the rest afterwards."

Dodging the question, he stood upright and pulled me up, then pulled the chair nearest to us and bowed, gesturing me to sit on it -- which I did, as I wiped my tears away. I probably looked terrible, but thinking straight for a moment, I realized I was starving as I looked at how delicious everything looked. Everything I love in a breakfast was in that silver tray; tomato juice, strawberry jelly sandwich, strawberries with sugar, _apples_... what can I say. I'm a 'vampire' bat. Red food looks irresistable to me. But before I could eat, I looked at his way trying to figure out something to say, but he was walking away from me, already halfway into a hall to my right. I tried calling him back but he spoke straight away without even looking at me or stopping.

"Shadow--"

"Rouge, eat up already! We can talk later; I have something I need to do right now. Feel free to explore. You were going to on your own, anyway, might as well give you permission."

Saying that, he left, again leaving me with but a hint of smile. I noticed that hall parted into other rooms or maybe more halls; I had no idea how large this place was. Those halls were as long as at least six pairs of doors opposite to eachother. My curiosity was almost exploding, but my stomach came first on the list of things to-do -- I was starvig!

Away from Rouge, Shadow parted straight to Ivo's hideout. He was as mad as when he decided to become in the ARK, blowtorch in hand, working already on something probably for his next 'evil scheme'. Shadow couldn't just barge in through the front door, so he Chaos Control'd inside. Ivo didn't even notice his presence until he spoke.

"So it wasn't just an act, was it?"

Hearing him, he paused the blowtorch and turned around.

"Shouldn't had doubted you for a second."

"Shadow! What are you doing here? How did you get past security system?"

"Please; You _know_ how."

"Curse that Chaos Control of yours!"

"Ah... but you don't really mean that. Exactly what is it that you're planning?"

"You really want to know... I'm about to show everyone how far I can go out of my way to rule this planet. I'm building a machine capable of capturing anyone... and then turn them into robots completely automatically in an instant!"

"Hah! Do you imagine such a contraption will ever work? That machine would need an endless supply of parts -- not to mention it would have to rip flesh from bone, and convert the skeleton into a functional metal structure... it will never work."

"Ah... but there is an easier way of accomplishing this... By simply injecting self-replicating nanomachines that will multiply at an uncontrollable state from the genetic level, growing so franctically it will literally convert the entire body into a fully operational android! And they will all obey me!!"

Waiting for a reaction, Ivo paused.. But Shadow smiled, and it turned to laughter.

"Hmm-haha.. Hahahahaha!"

"What's so damn amusing?!"

"Do you really expect that to work, doctor?"

"Of course it will! I'll show you..."

Shadow immediately switched to a defensive stance.

"Stop right there, Robotnik. I'll beat you down before you can try anything on me."

"Hah. I haven't forgotten our partnership."

"I'm not with you anymore."

"Regardless, I know what you're capable of -- you don't need to threaten me for that."

Ivo turned and walked until he reached another machine, with a digital microscope on its side. He prepared it for Shadow and presented it to him with a gesture of his hand.

"Have a look."

Shadow stepped closer and looked at the screen of the microscope.

"What am I supposed to look at here?"

"The red spots are my blood cells. And that black spot is the self-replicating nanomachine. Now... as I push this button --"

Pushing a button on the controlpad of that machine, the black spot had four little spider-like legs to sprout out of it and almost instantly, it lunged itself against the closest blood cell, merged, duplicated, which in turn did the same to two more blood cells, turning into four, then into eight, sixteen, thirty-two, so progressively until there were no more red spots onscreen, and instead, a black grid similar to a chip. Shadow's expression was that of realization that this could actually work if put on a global scale. The morbid perfection was equally levelled with Ivo's current mental state.

"How did you create this overnight?!"

"I'll have to take my hat off to your creator -- my grandfather -- and his diary disc, where he kept all the information I ever required. His ideas were truly remarkable."

"So this is what Dr. Gerald was truly destined to create. This is why he was sentenced to death when the G.U.N. found out about it..."

"But at first he thought that if everyone had self-replicating nanomachines at a controlled rate, they would heal wounds faster, prevent illnesses and diseases -- and human life span would be extended by at least 73 percent."

"But they still didn't like the idea... Why?"

"Because the only thing I had to do was a quick scan on its coding... and alter the automated control coding so that I can control it directly instead."

"This--! It's disturbing to say the least!"

"Disturbing?! No... this is... utopian. The dawn of a new era -- my era!"

Ivo grinned with satisfaction.

"I'm impressed doctor... I really am."

"Thank you."

"But it will fail. Hard."

Ivo wiped the smile off his face instantly.

"What?! Why do you say that? It's a perfect plan!"

"It will fail. Even with Sonic now gone, I'm certain Tails and Knuckles will handle you just fine on their own. They've done it before, right? I remember Rouge showing you that newspaper with Tails, saying how he was rewarded by saving Station Square... I assumed it was from you. How old is he -- nine? Ten, maybe?"

Ivo felt angered at him ever more, as that was the truth.

"Well then... I suggest you give up while you're ahead of time and.. unscathed. You'll be better off injecting that thing into you."

"Do you really think that little setback will prevent me from executing my scheme?"

"No. But know this. If I catch you putting it all into action, I'll kill you."

"The feeling is mutual then... Shadow."

Saying this, Shadow left the same way he entered. He used Chaos Control and warped out of the lab.

Now that I had finished eating, I finally stood up and went back into the hall I had come out of earlier. I tried opening all the other doors but they were all locked, apparently, so I proceeded into the other one, to find all rooms uninteresting, but one. I proceeded carefully inside and I figured this was Shadow's bedroom. It was all tidy but it looked like it hadn't been used in years, which was pretty obvious why. Shadow had only been awakened by Eggman the other day, and last time Shadow had been here must've been fifty years ago. Everything was dusty, except--

"What's this?"

I looked at a framed picture standing on a shelf. A little girl. She was blonde, with big blue eyes, and a true smile of joy in her expression. And she was holding... a baby black hedgehog in her arms. I looked twice before I finally giggled, as I just couldn't have ever pictured him any yonger than now. It was so precious! But I noticed another thing. This picture had been held sometime earlier, as it had some of its dust missing around the frame, shaped elliptic like fingerprints, but more importantly, it seemed as droplets had fallen on its surface.

"I can only imagine what this must feel like for him. -- sigh -- But I can only assume that she, Maria, meant a lot for him. Not just because, as this suggests, she took care of him, she was probably all the family he ever had, besides Dr. Gerald creating him all those years ago. But... why?"

I kept on staring at this picture for a while, still trying to figure out something -- anything at all about him and her. I still don't know who or what "Shadow" is. I don't even know if that's even his real name. And why is he 'saving' me?

For as much as I could I took the time to explore the whole bedroom until Shadow returned. Normally I would've panicked and ran out, but this time I was fine, since he had told me to feel free to explore anyway. I sat on his bed and then he walked into the bedroom.

"Welcome back..."

"I see you've looked at everything I have."

"Yeah... and I think now I know who Maria was. She meant a lot to you, right?"

Without answering, Shadow took the framed picture from the shelf, and looked at it as he spoke to me.

"I can't tell you exactly how important she meant to me. To wake up, and later on realize decades have passed is agonizing. All because of her god damn father, Gerald."

"Gerald Robotnik? Her father?"

"Well... not exactly. If you remember his video from when the emeralds were placed on the Eclipse Cannon... he was too old. He was 78 back then if I remember correctly. Maria was a clone."

"What? He discovered cloning 50 years ago?! That's... that's crazy!"

"Not 50. 66. We were both 16 when it all happened. After Gerald was murdered, we had no idea of what to do. Until they read the majority of his classified files and found out she was a clone and I was... a weapon."

I felt sorry for him.

"From there on, I think Gerald had prepared us both somehow, because instantly she grabbed my arm and we started running away from them, back to that main room on the ARK. She placed me inside a capsule and sent me off down here, to Earth. I wish I could've done something, but I wasn't aware of my ability, and moreover, we didn't have a Chaos Emerald at that time, and they were all being kept on the Eclipse Cannon. It was the reason why they arrested and killed him. There was no time or any way we could've ran into the Cannon's room and retrieve one."

For a moment I kept silent, but then I was remembered by him of the emeralds.

"Shadow! The Chaos Emeralds? Where are they now?"

"The Emeralds...? "

"Yes! When you and Sonic took their power, what happened to them?"

"What makes you think I will tell you? As you said it yourself, you won't change."

"You still have them!

"Fine. I have four of them. Satisfied?"

"Oh..."

"What could you possibly do with them?"

"Keep them to myself, of course!"

"You're such a fool..."

"What?!"

"Sigh -- The Chaos Emeralds are filled with power. Chaos is power, enriched by the heart. The 7 are unified by the controller of Chaos, and their power is fused to the user's intentions. The Master Emerald is the controller of such power, as it is the Angel Island's power source, keeping it afloat. This amount of power is not meant to be kept away, tucked in some thief's hideout, Rouge. You can't keep the Chaos Emeralds to yourself. "

"Why?!"

"Because they were meant to be found, to be used. And when the purpose for which they were used for is finished, they disperse. Here, come with me outside."

I followed him through the front door. Outside he took the Emeralds out of himself -- it seemed as though they had merged with him before. He tossed them into the air and they flew high into the skies, circled around and then finally shot out in different directions. I looked at them shocked!

"See what I meant?"

"Why... why did you have to that!?" I said, somewhat annoyed. His next words though, faded it away.

"So that you would understand. The Chaos Emeralds are untamed. They are nobody's keeper, and they serve only the Master Emerald."

"Sigh --...so... I suppose Sonic has the other three then...?"

"Either that or they have dispersed already. However, you can't leave this place, or you risk yourself being found by the Government."

"Just exactly what and where is this place?"

"I think it's best I don't tell you."

"Tell me!!"

"Hahahaha..."

I swear he was getting on my nerves again. I lunged at him but he dashed around me and grabbed my arm before I fell. I can tell he was just teasing me then! It was annoying, but in the end, it just made me happy to have him not so serious with me.

"You're so simple to mess with."

"Stop it! Don't get on my nerves!"

"Or what?"

"Or..! Or!!"

"Hahaha... Yeah?"

I hit him-- softly that is -- with my hands on his chest and laid my head on his shoulder. There was no escaping him. He may get on my nerves but -- something about him, was pulling me closer.

"You care about me, don't you? I remind you of Maria, is that it?"

"Hah. You aren't her. She's gone since long ago," he said, confidently. "We took care of eachother, grew up together -- we were the only ones we really had. Gerald was always taking his attention to other things. We were nothing more than _experiments_."

"Why do you do this to me?"

"No reason."

"Liar..."

Shadow took his hand to my chin and smiled, pulling my head closer to his and kissed me again. That is what he meant, that was the reason.

"I hope that was clear enough."

I paused; mused about that kiss, and figured it out --

"You love me...?"

"I'm not sure what it is. But I do feel that I need you. Not just by my side, I also have a plan... and I need your skill. You're not _just_ a thief, right?"

"Shadow... I don't want to kill anyone... I'll help but --"

"We will discuss it later, Rouge."

"Wha--?"

Once again he kissed me, interrupting me, and took me in his arms bride-style, to his bed. And the way he moved me -- well --? I think I'll keep that memory to myself. All I'm saying is that he _really moved_ me.

End Chapter I


End file.
